"a shoal, sand-bank, a place dangerous on account of shoals, two of which were particularly famous on the northern coast of Africa, one lying near Carthage, and the other, the syrtis major, lying between Cyrene and Leptis, which is probably referred to in Acts 27:17*"
Definition and meaning
a shoal, sand-bank, a place dangerous on account of shoals, two of which were particularly famous on the northern coast of Africa, one lying near Carthage, and the other, the syrtis major, lying between Cyrene and Leptis, which is probably referred to in Acts 27:17*
In the original Greek the word is written: Σύρτις
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of syrtis (G4950) across the King James Bible.
Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
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Common questions
Strong's G4950 (syrtis) is a Greek word that means: a shoal, sand-bank, a place dangerous on account of shoals, two of which were particularly famous on the northern coast of Africa, one lying near Carthage, and the other, the syrtis major, lying betwe... It appears 1 times in the King James Bible.
The word syrtis (G4950) appears 1 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4950 is syrtis, a Greek word defined as: a shoal, sand-bank, a place dangerous on account of shoals, two of which were particularly famous on the northern coast of Africa, one lying near Cart. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
syrtis is a Greek word found in the New Testament.